Following closely behind the singles of limited double A-side Relax/ Billy Brown and first proper single Grace Kelly came the release of Mika’s debut album, Life In Cartoon Motion, on Casablanca Records. Opening his career in 2007, his download single ‘Relax’ was Radio 1 Record of the Week and playlisted there (virtually unheard of for a limited edition/download single). Defining single Grace Kelly then went straight to #1 in the UK, where it stayed for 5 weeks, sold over 3 million copies worldwide and was the second British single ever to top the chart on downloads alone. The infectious pomp of ‘Grace Kelly’ became a benchmark for where MIKA wanted to go, with the results displayed in gloriously full effect on ‘Life in Cartoon Motion’.The album went straight to #1 in UK and 11 other countries, going on to sell over 7 million copies worldwide, plus over 6 million single sales.

Brimming with brightly-hued melody, engaging hooks and a distinct lyrical style that speaks exactly and distinctly of its moment, Mika showcases here for the first time his unique vision. “I grew up listening to every thing from Joan Baez and Dylan, to Serge Gainsbourg and Flamenco. My musical tastes have become more eclectic as I’ve got older, but I’m always going back to great artist songwriters, people who make great records to their own vision. Prince, Harry Nillson, Elton John, even Michael Jackson. These people make amazing pop records that couldn’t be performed by anybody else and that’s what I always wanted to do.”

Unafraid to stand alone, Mika’sintimate first person and third person storytelling connects with outsiders while subverting the mainstream from within. Whether eulogising the delights of the larger framed woman on the funk-rock strop of Big Girl (You Are Beautiful), condensing modern sexual peccadilloes on the burlesque Billy Brown, or celebrating the joys of being alive on Love Today, his is a place that pop music is not used to traveling to. “I wrote Love Today when i was happy, really happy. When you’re on a buzz, you get cocky and you assume that everyone in the world at that time feels the way you do. I often feel like that. So I put it in a song.”

‘Happy Ending’ shows us another side to this multi talented writer, performer, instrumentalist and producer. A huge, inspirational and downright goose-bump-brilliant ballad, ‘Happy Ending’ was written in MIKA’s basement and recorded in London and Los Angeles with a gospel choir.

Some quotes from the press about the album:

‘Capitulate and admit to its genius. Magnifika’ – 5/5 Independent on Sunday

‘Mika is the new saviour of pop.’ – 4/5 Something for the Weekend, The Sun

‘Welcome to your first new chart sensation of 2007. The influences here are smart, the music smarter. For anyone who fancies an irresistible mix of Vaudeville and disco this is just perfect.’ – Mojo

‘A colourful explosion of brilliance..Mika is much more original than most of the stuff around at the moment. Mika doesn’t live up to the hype – he surpasses it.’ – 5/5 Heat

‘Mika has arrived fully formed with an album of perfect pop full of pizzazz, vim and attitude..dashing disco built on infallible pop nous and his astonishing multi-octave voice’ – 4/5 The London Lite

‘If Mika’s electro-pop sound doesn’t make you smile you are officially dead inside!’ – 5/5 Album of the Month, Glamour

‘Mika has an irresistible knack for a hook. Luscious..Mika is sublime’ 4/5 Mixmag

‘Sweet and highly original pop. Mika is very evidently talented. He has the songs and sheer force of personality to live up to the hype.’ – Q Magazine

‘Mika reiterates his talent on an album that showcases his abilities as a tunesmith and a showman. The album contains bright euphoric hooks that evoke Prince, Queen and Harry Nilsson.’ – 5/5 Daily Mail

‘Unreservedly Album of the Year’ – 5/5 Boyz

‘An album is a real test of an artists viability and its one that Mika passes with ease delivering consistently well crafted pop tunes that buzz with energy. Its clear that in the irresistible sense of fun resistence is futile’ – 4/5 Evening Standard